


The Scales of Evil

by Awkwardly_social



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Angry Peter, Bullying, Gen, Hospitals, M/M, Magic, Mugging, Parental Loki, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Protective Loki (Marvel), Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Trans Peter, Transphobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-06-10 22:58:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15301893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Awkwardly_social/pseuds/Awkwardly_social
Summary: Based on the amazing post by satanchangedmypresets, know as artemxmendacium on Tumblr : https://artemxmendacium.tumblr.com/post/173783396735/scenes-i-need"So, um, aren't you evil? A doer of bad things?""It varies from time to time""So, just in case, on a scale of one to ten, ten, being the worst evil imaginable, like murdering puppies or something like that, and one, being you'll spit on my hotdog or rickroll me, where are you right now?""Maybe a three.""Cool! Let me know if it gets above a six"





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [satanchangedmypresets](https://archiveofourown.org/users/satanchangedmypresets/gifts).



Of all people to see in avengers tower when Peter swung inside for a break from patrolling, Loki wasn't one of them. Stumbling as his feet touched the floor, Peter did a double take. Loki was perched against Mr. Stark's bar, a book in one hand and a glass in the other, seemingly either having not noticed Peter's entrance (or much, much, more likely, didn't care).

Seeing as Loki hadn't immediately blasted him to tiny, bite sized smithereens upon entry, Peter took off his mask. (Normally something that would terrify him, but he was fairly sure Loki could just magically learn his identity anyway). "Um, Mr. Loki, sir?"

The god looked up as he set his glass and book down, and an eyebrow raised in acknowledgement.

Peter moved forward in a half walk, half skip, sticking his hand out once he was in front of Loki. "Hi, I'm Peter. Or, you know, Spider-man when the mask is on."

Loki's second eyebrow raised to meet it's twin, but he returned Peter's handshake calmly, "Loki of Asguard."

Peter shuffled his feet a bit, wringing his mask between his hands. He'd never really met a god before, hadn't really ever thought he would either. "So, um, aren't you evil? A doer of bad things? You're not here to do something to the tower or Mr. Stark are you?"

Loki leaned back, resting his elbows on the counter behind him with a nonchalant expression. "It varies from time to time, I'm the god of mischief not the god of evil. And no, I'm just stealing his midguardian alcohol and borrowing his air-conditioning."

"So, just in case," Peter stuck his hands out, about a foot from one another like the beginning of a clap, "on a scale of one to ten, ten," Peter flicked right hand, "being the worst evil imaginable, like murdering puppies or something like that, and one," Peter flicked his left hand, "being you'll spit on my hotdog or rickroll me, where are you right now?"

"Maybe a three."

Peter slid his mask back on, satisfied with the answer and began his way towards the window, speaking over his shoulder, "cool! Let me know if it gets above a six. I'm sure you can find me with your god magic and stuff." With that he crawled out the window and vanished from view as quickly as he'd come with a webshot and a whoop of cheer.

Loki couldn't help but think he was going to enjoy knowing the boy. 

* * *

 

Occasionally as Peter patrolled, or sometimes even when he was just Peter, Loki would come out of nowhere to talk, but the conversations always began the same way, with a number. The first time it had happened Peter would never forget.

He'd been walking home from school when Loki had popped out of an alley, dressed like a civilian with a gleam in his eye. "I'm feeling a strong two coming on, Peter. Care to partake in some mischief?"

It turned out Loki's number two rating meant harmless pranks that we're quite frankly, hilarious. With his magic he could make both himself and Peter invisible, so things like sneaking around the tower became impossibly easy. They started with Peter's first idea, and snuck into Tony's lab, promising Dum-e a nice oil change if he sprayed Tony with the fire extinguishers the next time something sparked (an event sure to happen almost immediately). Loki cursed the toaster to only take certain food (the ends of bread loaves) and to reject others (everything else).

Sometimes the number wasn't so low though, and Loki would find Peter with rage in his eyes and teeth grinding. One of the most memorable times had been when Peter was on patrol and Loki poofed in next to him, feet dangling over the edge of a roof.

Peter had been immediately concerned when he'd looked over. Loki was hunched over, with dark circles under his eyes and his clothes looked rumpled, without the usual care he put into his appearance. "Are you okay? Are you hurt, Mr. Loki?"

Loki had shook his head, but he'd muttered under his breath so lowly Peter was sure only his super hearing had let him understand. "I'm at a seven"

Peter had nodded in understanding, and nudged Loki's shoulder with his own. "Why don't you come beat up some bad guys with me then? That always makes me feel better."

Seeing the look on mugger's faces as the god who nearly brought New York to is knees appeared was completely worth it as Peter let Loki handle most of the fighting. Despite not fighting Peter was still sore, but that was mostly from the laughing though. Sure, sometimes Loki would bash heads, but other times he would complete humiliate the bad guys. He'd turn their guns into rubber ducks, or make the ground beneath them so slick they couldn't keep their footing. The best one by far was when he cursed a man to only be able to say "African or European" in varying tones, and Peter would never regret introducing Loki to Monty Python.

The highest Loki had ever gotten with Peter was an eight, until he'd found Peter curled up behind his school, an hour after school had let out with his head between his knees. Peter had heard the pop of the god coming in, but he couldn't help but shrink away from the noise, whimpering as it ground on his ears.

A hand had immediately settled on Peter's shoulder, but even that seemed to burn, his senses in overdrive worse than they had ever been before. It has eased quickly as the hand backed off, but Peter could feel the glow of Loki's magic over him, analyzing almost. As the glow receded Loki's voice spoke in his head, calming, and somehow painless. "Peter, I'm going to try and take away your pain but I need you tell me what happened so I know how to fix this, I can't tell what's wrong."

His throat felt like sandpaper, but it eased a bit as Loki pulled some of the pain. "It's too loud, everything feels like fire." He barely whispered, but Loki seemed to have heard him as a pair of sunglasses appeared over his eyes and his hearing was muffled. Peter looked up in surprise, finally able to lift his head, but Loki cut him off before he could speak.

"I understand sensory overload Peter, but you also have a head injury that probably exacerbated it to much greater heights. I'm going to take you to Stark, and then we're going to talk about what happened, because I'm fairly sure you didn't get hit fighting a mugger." Peter could only nod as Loki scooped him up, and he let himself sleep as the noise quieted.

* * *

 

By the time Peter woke up his head was better, super healing being a lovely power, but he almost wished it was still there as Mr. Stark and Loki were standing over him, both with their arms crossed.

"You want to tell us what happened, kid?" Mr. Stark didn't seem too happy, and Peter ducked his head to avoid eye contact.

"It was nothing, I'm okay. Really. I just bumped my head a bit and my senses went out of wack. I'm okay."

Loki sighed, and placed his hand on Peter's shoulder. "I am the god of lies Peter, please don't lie to me. I'll know"

Peter put his hands over his eyes letting out his words in quick burst. "A kid at school found out I was trans and pushed me down the stairs."

When neither man spoke Peter looked up, and nearly flinched. Mr. Stark was typing furiously on his phone, leaving the room as he made a call, and Loki had a look on his face that Peter had never seen before.

"Um, Loki? What's your number right now?"

Loki's hand moved from Peter's shoulder to ruffles his hair a bit as he stepped back. He smiled in a way that encompassed the meaning of psychotic good, but he spoke calmly, "ten, Peter. I'm at a ten." Before Peter could intervene the god had poofed away as Mr. Stark walked back in.

"Alright kid, that little bastards gonna be expe-"

Peter cut him off, "I think Loki's gonna kill someone, Mr. Stark. He's never been at a ten before."

Tony looked puzzled, and after a brief explanation of the evil scale he only shrugged. "Little shit will get what's coming to him for hurting you."

Peter knew it was useless to argue, but sent a mental note out to Loki, asking him to not hurt anyone, but humiliation was okay.

* * *

 

The next Monday found Peter laughing as the bully who'd pushed him was stuck to the wall of the gym by a green aura, 'small dicked transphobe, free to be kicked' written on the wall around him.

Peter knew Loki heard his prayed thanks when the kid's hair turned green to match.

 


	2. Peter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peters never been this angry before...

The last time Peter had felt this angry, so unbelievably furious that all he could feel was cold, dead, nothing, was when Ben died. Not immediately after, but when the funeral was done and something deep down told Peter he could hunt down the man and make him pay. He'd never actually done it, too raw with the words his uncle had given him. He had a responsibility, and he wasn't going to let his uncle down. But now? Now, Peter could see all the plus side to murder. 

Mr. Stark's hand came to rest on his shoulder, but Peter shrugged it off, eyes never leaving his friend in the hospital bed. 

Ned didn't look right being so still, huge bandages covering his side where he'd been - Peter sniffled, but shoved back the urge to cry coming up his throat. Ned had gotten stabbed, nearly killed and it was Peter's fault. 

They'd just been walking to Ned's place from school, the same path they'd taken for years when someone pulled a knife on them in a darker section of the city. Had Peter been on his own he would have just run, but the knife was swiveling between them as demands for money were made. Peter, he'd just begun to pull out his wallet and phone, knowing Mr. Stark could track it when his Spidey senses went off like crazy. When he turned Ned was taking in a large, slow breath. Then he screamed. 

"HELP, WE'RE BEING RO-"

It was practically in slow motion that Peter watched the knife sink into Ned's stomach, right below his ribs, and he felt the knife himself as he rushed forward. By the time Ned hit the ground the knife was swinging towards Peter's face. He'd reacted on instinct. Grab the wrist, ignore the skin that comes off under your nails, twist and pull them towards you, shove when they pass so their back is toward you. Palm strike to the upper back, dodge the spine but use super strength to knock them prone. 

It was over in a second, but as the man rolled over and began to run, Peter saw his eyes. It was a grave mistake, because Peter would never forget those eyes, Brown and green heterochromatic in mirrors of one another. A dangerous trait for a criminal. At the time Peter hadn't cared though. He was screaming into the air for someone, anyone to come help, Ned's blood welling up and through Peter's fingers as he pressed to the wound. 

Peter stood from his chair, his decision made as he touched Ned's hand, letting his fingers rest there perhaps a bit longer than necessary before leaving the room. Super hearing let him hear Ned's family sprinting down the hall, but Peter wouldn't be able to look them in the eye. Mr. Stark had left already, but Peter knew he had covered Ned's hospital bills so Peter made his way to the roof of the hospital, years of hiding in plain sight letting him slip through unnoticed. He settled down on the middle of the roof, crossing his legs and bowed his head, thinking as clear as he could so his message would be heard. 

"Loki, if you have a minute I need your help. Something bad, really bad has happened."

It was only a couple seconds before Loki popped ontothe roof, more frazzled and worried than Peter had ever seen him. He'd marched over to Peter, eyes passing him over for injuries. "What's wrong? Are you hurt? What happened."

Peter stood up, and met Loki's eyes, pretending not to see the small flinch. He knew what he looked like. "I need your help to find someone." 

Peter looked down at his shoes, stuttering a bit as he choked out his reasoning. "This someone nearly killed my friend. Probably would have killed me too if I didn't have my powers."

Loki nodded, but he didn't look like he had let go of his worry. "Very well, two questions first though. Firstly, do you have something of theirs to track them?"

Peter's eyes widened and he cussed under his breath, clenching his fingers into a fist. "No, I don't-" except he did. "Would skin and blood work?"

Loki raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "I was thinking more, article of clothing or a possession but it would do. It would be easier if you smeared it on some paper or fabric." 

Peter dug around in his pockets, finding a gas station receipt and wiped the dried blood that had run on the tips of his fingers onto the back. "Here," he thrust the paper at Loki. "Now what."

"Now I ask you the second question. What's your number right now, Peter, on that little scale we use?"

"10." Peter answered immediately, and perhaps a little more coldly than was warranted towards his ...friend? Mentor? Adult who happened to be in his life? Loki. 

Loki seemed surprised at his answer, or maybe it was just the cold tone. But he didn't interrupt Peter's explanation. 

"Ned nearly died, Loki, the only reason he didn't is because Mr. Stark had me trained in basic first aid in case I got really hurt. Uncle Ben DID die and there was nothing I could do, I didn't even see the guy's face when he shot him down. So I'm damn well gonna make him pay!" 

Something like guilt and regret passed over Loki's face, and he placed a hesitant hand on Peter's head. "How exactly are you going to make him pay Peter?" He didn't let Peter answer. "Because I can tell you from my own experience that revenge does not always make you feel better. Sometimes it makes things worse, so I'm going to make you a deal." 

Peter nodded, and he thought about it for a moment. He didn't really know what he would have done. 

Loki continued, "with this," he waved the bloody receipt a bit, "I can scry the man who harmed your friend. We'll be able to see what he's doing and feel what he feels, as well as see how he felt when it happened. Seeing as he's almost certainly a magic-less mortal he won't feel a thing, and he'll never know."

It made sense to Peter, "okay, but what's the deal?"

"The deal, is that if he feels guilty, if it was an honest accident, you don't go after him. If it was on on purpose, if he's truly a bad man and feels no remorse, I'll hunt him down with you and let you exact revenge." 

"Deal," Peter stuck his hand out, and when Loki shook it the gap between flashed green, a magical binding if Peter had to guess. 

"Alright," Loki came to rest the tips of his fingers on Peter's temples, and green light flowed from them in Peter's peripherals. "Close your eyes." 

Peter closed them, and he suddenly felt like he was floating, like he wasn't in his own body. "Now breathe"

Peter took a deep breath, and suddenly he was seeing the man. Rage flashed through him, but as the surroundings came in, a crumbling apartment, bad part of town, the back alley, it died. Because with memories came guilt, god there was so much guilt. "I killed him I killed him oh God I killed him" flashed through his brain on repeat and he saw, no he felt the panic as he watched ned start to scream. saw his own face flash into panic and then rage as he rushed forwards, he was thrown, no he was throwing? His wrist hurt, holy hell his wrist was on fire, he couldn't breathe. 

Peter flashed back to wakefulness, swinging at the blur standing over him in a panic. His fist was caught, but as he blinked in surprise Loki came into view. Loki sat down next to him and turned entirely to face him. "So what did you see?"

The emotions came rushing back, and Peter wasn't mad anymore. How could he be mad when it was all a big accident, it wasn't right. Finally that weight on Peter's chest seemed to lift and the first few tears made their way down his cheeks. "He didn't mean it, he feels so horrible, Loki!" Peter choked out a sob as the tears really started, stealing his breath. 

Warm arms wrapped around Peter, and Loki pulled him into his arms, chin resting gently on Peter's head as he shook. As much as he wanted to Peter just couldn't stop. 

The door to the roof opened with a bang and Peter tensed, but fingers carding  through his hair forced him to relax, and the hitches in his breath slowed down. Loki shuffled a bit and a third hand came to rest on his back. Peter knew it was mr. Stark, it was hard to mistake that half cologne half motor oil smell with heightened senses. 

That was the last thing Peter remembered though as a green haze passed over his vision and the world went dark with sleep.

\----------

Loki lifted Peter with little effort, and with Stark, walked him back down on his friends room, laying him beside the boy. He was careful to avoid the medical equipment and smiled to himself as the children curled towards one another despite being unconscious. 

"They're good kids." Loki nodded in agreement but stayed behind as Stark left the room. Quietly he passed his hand over the bandages and allowed himself a small smile once more. Perhaps it would ease Peter's worries to see his friend healed when he awoke. For now though, he thought as he left the room, for now they could sleep. He would watch over them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for all the kind comments and sticking with me. Also, someone said this fanfic got mentioned on Facebook? Comment me a link please, id like to see!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony protects his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for never getting around to the third part of this. Ended up getting caught up in life, but here it is! I hope y'all enjoy it.

There were very few things in the universe that could make Anthony Howard Stark truly angry. Spiteful? Petty? Many things (and many people) could make him that way, but Tony Stark wasn’t a naturally angry person. Some lowbrow villain taking  ~~ his kid ~~ Peter, not Spider-man, but nerdy shirt, bad jokes, right out of his freshman homeroom, high schooler Peter Parker. That would have brought Tony to a five. It would have been a ten at one point but Peter was a trouble magnet.  Using Peter as bait to fight his  ~~ boyfriend  ~~ sort of boyfriend, Loki because some reporter got a picture of them together and made him a target? That took Tony to a ten without a second thought. 

Tinkering time was normally a block that ranged from an hour to however long Tony wanted it to be (not counting those times when Pepper or spider-brat would give him the puppy dog eyes and ask him when he’d last eaten). He could blast ACDC, wave Dum-e’s attempts at death-inducing milkshakes away and zone out for a while; he could just be. Friday shutting off his music and frantically flashing news screens at him was not part of tinkering time. 

“Sir, Peter has been taken by a man calling himself a ‘High Mage,’ he’s baiting Loki to come and rescue Peter.”

Tony was already halfway across the lab. “Send me the suit, where are they?” 

As the metal encased him, Tony flew off the landing pad and Friday’s voice switched from overhead to right beside him. “They’re on 45th at 215th, moving south.” 

The flight was a quick one, and Tony didn’t have to guess where the battle was. Green and gold waves were rippling the air. He flew above for a better visual, eyes passing over the destruction that had already torn up the highways. “Friday, get me a visual on Peter, Loki can handle himself.” 

His visor zoomed in on a black orb that seemed to be turning green with each passing wave of magic. Peter was floating inside, magically asleep or passed out, Tony didn’t know. It made him furious either way, but if he had to guess the green magic was Loki trying to take control and protect Peter. 

The so called “High Mage” looked like a kid who’d gotten too excited for Comic-con, gaudy colors and a sweeping cape to match. Tony took aim without a second thought and let a repulsor blast fire. Then another, and another. Nobody hurt his kid. 

 

* * *

Peter felt… floaty. He couldn’t remember much either. He’d been doing his own doodle of Mj, one of her punching Flash in the nose because she’d threatened to that morning, and… the ceiling had been ripped off?

Peter would have shaken his head if he could feel it. That couldn’t be right, he was boring old Peter Parker then, not Spider-man. No, but that did happen. Some crazy color blind dude had started yelling about claiming the title of High Magician or something in this realm and Peter had just, stopped existing for a bit. Or at least it felt that way. 

He laughed to himself in his mind, he guessed what he was feeling was what happened if you launched yourself into the void. What a shame he couldn’t scream to see how it felt. A bit of dread tried to trickle in, what if he was dead? Somehow that didn’t bother him though. He was content just to sit there and float in his thoughts. 

Correction: he would have been content to just sit there if he hadn’t been violently thrown into consciousness and dropped into a pair of familiar but still painful metal arms. The light and the sounds hurt after being in the quiet for so long, and Peter curled into a ball. “Isss louuud, Mr. Starrrk.” His words were whispered, but he knew they were heard when a gentle fuzz of magic muted his hearing back to a more normal human level. When Peter could finally get his eyes open his jaw dropped.

The whole area was wrecked beyond repair, but what caught his attention was the borderline smear of a human(?) being left trying to drag himself through a portal. He looked like he’d gone through a day of “Dum-e decides the experiment” and actually let the robot make all the choices. Peter had to turn away from it, but a bright flash of light had been the last words of his kidnapper before he ran, tail between his legs. 

“Kid, Peter.” Mr. Stark had been trying to get his attention. 

“Whasss up, Mr. Starrrk?” He couldn’t really look at Mr.Stark properly, to start with there were two of him. “Did youuu see me get kid-nap-ed?” He pronounced the last word like it was three. 

Someone was laughing in the background and Peter nearly fell out of Tony’s arms trying to swing around for a good look. His eyes fell on something green and black. “LOooOkiiii!” Peter’s top half swung down so only his legs were being held on to, arms flung wide open. 

“Anthony, I think he’s a little high on magic right now.”

“Well how do we fix it? I can’t give him back to his aunt like he’s had an edible and a half”

A soft hand with a green glow passed over Peter’s forehead. He started to go limp, glancing around for a familiar face. “Mmmm tired, I’mma nap now.” 

 

* * *

Tony let Loki do some of his weird magical voodoo stuff to float the kid out of his arms and to a more comfortable position. “I can portal us to the tower, I’m assuming you’ll need to speak to the police?” 

Tony nodded, flipping up his face plat and rubbing a hand over his face. He may have gone a little overboard, but it was worth it to see the people he cared about walk through a portal to a place he knew was safe. 

* * *

 

 

Loki floated Peter onto the couch and took his own seat in an armchair to watch over him. That, imbecile, kidnapping Peter had been frightening, but Anthony, no, Tony’s reaction to it had almost made Loki afraid, and that was no small feat. He had never seen Tony ready to kill.. Maim a little? Sure. Cause some permanent damage when the situation called for it? It came with the job description. Tony had been ready to reduce a man to nothing but dust for the wind, and Loki wasn’t sure if it was appealing or frightening to see such a change in a man he… cared for.  

He decided on a little bit of both for the time being, and after a small once over of Peter (his magic levels were dropping, he would be fine in an hour), he let himself doze. Tony would protect them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Comments and kudos are my lifeblood, so let me know what you thought or if you see areas for improvement!

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first thing I've ever written for the Mcu so let me know what you think! My Tumblr is @im-awkward-but-social and you should check out @artemxmendacium, the inspiration for this fic!


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